I made my first Jarlsberg yesterday, and after sitting in a cool room last night, brined it for 10 hours (5 lb cheese). However, it's already started noticeably swelling, so I'm not sure whether that's from the Propionic or from contamination. The recipe is from Cheesemaking.com, and neither the photos nor the instructions indicate that it should be developing holes yet, so I'm thinking that somehow it was contaminated.

Next step is to dry it and then put it in a cool, humid place for up to 2 weeks, and then move it to a warm place for Propionic development.

Should I just toss it and try again another time, or is this just normal for a Jarlsberg?

I have never made a jarlsberg or a swiss, but I would keep it the normal aging period and then cut it open and see what it smells like...if it smells ok, then give it a taste.

I could be way off base, but it seems that if it is a contamination thing that you will get more gas development and it will smell really bad funky eventually. As long as the odor is cheesy, I would give it a chance.

Once I removed it to a much cooler place, it settled back down. I'm now in the warm phase, where it's sitting in a covered container in my kitchen and I turn it daily. It's looking good on the outside, so I'm hopeful. I'll be putting it back into the cooler area in another week for further aging. I'll let you know when I finally cut into it.

I was reviewing my recipe today because the "warm phase" of the Jarlsberg is almost complete. This cheese definitely isn't acting like it's supposed to. The first phase, it swelled up, and it was't supposed to, but settled down when it went into a much cooler place. Now it's supposed to swell--and it isn't. It's been in 70°F+ for 4 weeks ad it's looking like it did when I first brought it back to a warm room. How are the holes to form if it doesn't swell? I'm not sure, at this point, what to call this puppy--make-believe Jarlsberg? Norwegian Trickster?

I made mine and it didn't swell as much as I thought it should but I decided to re-wax it tonight before putting it back into the cave for aging and, after I stripped the wax off, I noticed a hole where a bubble had formed close to the surface. It smells wonderful so maybe you should just hang on to yours, if it smells okay, and age it.

Waxed and still aging. It hasn't been quite 3 months yet. The recipe says ready at 3-4 months, but will have more character if aged longer. I'm shooting for March or April. At that point I'll have either a Jarlsberg celebration or a cheese funeral.

I cut it open today. Good taste, but nothing to write home about. Not Jarlsberg tasting at all, and much too dry. Lots of little holes all through it (no surprise there), but disappointing. I put the larger portion of it back in a container with a damp cloth (not touching). Maybe it'll help, maybe it won't.

I wouldn't call it a total failure, but definitely needs work. My next try will, I hope, be much better.